Cycling, traffic safety, traffic justice, and legal topics; energy, transit and transportion economics
Google autonomously driven cars have been rolling in Chandler, AZ for a couple of months now.
There was a fairly long story in the AZ Republic today, Three crashes so far with Google self-driving cars in Chandler.
Three crashes in a month seems like a lot, though none implicated autonmous driving mode — all three involved poor (human) drivers.
The incidents according to the story: Continue reading “Three crashes so far with Google self-driving cars in Chandler”
Sat 8/27/2016 ~ 7:30pm. Bicyclist Thomas J. Butler. 35 was killed as he road across 43rd Ave near Bethany Home Rd mid-block from west to east; then turned north when he was struck from behind.
The tone of the statements indicates the police don’t believe the driver’s alleged impairment wasn’t a factor. I.e. the driver is likely to be charged with only DUI.
Continue reading “Bicyclist killed crossing 43rd Ave near Bethany Home Phx”
A westbound driver apparently failed to negotiate a slight bend in the road and drove up on the sidewalk, killing the Childtime Sign. July 19, 2016 ~ 8AM. Warner Rd, just west of 51st St.
This is the same spot where another dangerous driver drove up on the sidewalk and killed the bus stop structure in February last year. Continue reading “Childtime Sign Killed”
Victim: Roger Haar
Witnesses say a female driver ran a red light and collided with Haar July 11, 2016 at Fort Lowell Road and Mountain Avenue, Tucson. The bicyclist was seriously injured, and died about a week later.
A July 19th AP story was somewhat more detailed with crash specifics “Tucson police say in a news release that the 65-year-old had been headed south on his bike along a road when he stopped for a red light. After the light turned green, police say he entered the intersection and was struck by a westbound sedan that ran a red light.”
Continue reading “Tucson Bicyclist dies after last week’s intersection crash”
The City of Flagstaff has put together crash data DRAFT Working Paper 4 Pedestrian and bicycle crash data. This report released in Oct 2015 geographically covers Flagstaff Metropolitan Planning Organization (FMPO) region — so the city of Flagstaff and surrounding area — for the 10-year period from 2005 to 2014. It is well documented and uses the ADOT Safety Data Mart exclusively. As such, it doesn’t add any additional data of the sort that was added by the City of Phoenix’s collision summary. E.g. The City of Phoenix summary breaks down the cyclist’s position (accurately, by reading each crash report narrative) to reveal 70% of cyclists involving in collisions were on the sidewalk just prior to the collision (either at a crosswalk, or driveway). Continue reading “Flagstaff Bike / Ped Crash Report”
Driver Barbara Christine McLaughlin was arrested after driving the wrong way on Arizona SR-87 near Bush Highway Thursday afternoon. DPS Trooper Pedro Rodriguez heroically intentionally caused a crash in order to stop McLaughlin’s 5,000 pound pickup; probably doing her a big favor, because people who drive pickups the wrong way tend to kill people and go to prison (for a long time). Oh, and after the minor collision, McLaughlin tried to drive away (hit and run). Nice. “impairment is suspected” DPS says. Continue reading “Wrong-way driver stopped on SR-87”
Adot has released Crash Facts 2015 in early June (of 2016), as usual/expected; and I received the database from them very promptly. I have not yet updated the graphical crash map, but it still contains 2009-2014 for both MV-bike and MV-ped crashes. Continue reading “Arizona Crash Facts 2015”
6/25/2015 Strike from behind in the roadway, Grand Ave in the area of 37th Ave. Dark. Police report: No rear reflector or light.
Victim Gregory R. Stout, 46/M. Continue reading “Nighttime cyclist fatality Grand Ave in Phoenix”
6/10/2016 ~ 2PM
Bicyclist and commercial truck both EB on Prince at 1st, Tucson. The bicyclist’s name is not yet released, male mid-30’s.
Described in the KGUN news piece as a classic right hook. Continue reading “Tucson right-hook fatality”
June 7, 2016 ~ 5:30A 73 y.o. bicyclist Calvin Ray Sapp was killed after being struck by a hit-and-run driver in a bike lane — southbound on Higley Road midway between Ocotillo and Chandler Heights roads. A vehicle matching the description was found a short time later and a suspect was arrested. A later news story that evening said that the suspect “…told police he fell asleep and didn’t know what he hit. Officers said the bike and victim were dragged about 80 yards”. And carried some more-graphic pictures of the smashed in windshield. They also identified the Phoenix Police officer credited with finding the suspect vehicle. Continue reading “Bicyclist killed in Gilbert hit-and-run”
Phx police say drinking and drag racing leave 1 dead 1 critical, @arizonarepublic says ‘accident’? @droptheaword #crashnotaccident
Continue reading “Police: 1 killed in Phoenix drag-racing crash”
Wednesday, 7/1/2015, ~ 0705am; Lake Havasu City bicyclist Deborah Robison was killed and bicyclist Lawrence Smith was seriously injured when struck by a driver on SR-95 south, near SARA Park. [update: Smith died 7/5/2015 Second bicyclist dies after SR 95 collision in Lake Havasu City]
The nature of the road in that area is a high-speed rural, not limited-access highway [ this guess as to location is the WRONG location: with one lane in each direction sample on Google street view ] For the exact area of the collision, which is further out of town than I had guessed, see below in the Crash Report section which has details.
Happened in the ‘hood. Another dangerous driver jumped the curb, ran over the sidewalk and murdered a block wall. The driver was reportedly taken into custody…. Wed May 18, 2016, later part of afternoon. Elliot Loop and Jicarilla, Phoenix.
Apparent hit and run. very little info; victim 54 yo male found dead early Thursday morning 5/12/2016, Southern Ave near 19th Ave, Phoenix.
Continue reading “Man on bike hit, killed in hit-and-run crash in S Phoenix”
Ann Day was killed in a headon crash with a suspected impaired driver, ~ 8AM, May 7, 2016. Day was traveling eastbound on Ina Road near the Westward Look Resort, near Tucson (Pima County)
Continue reading “Tucson area motorist killed in head-on; driver arrested”